Charleston County considers $3.6M to preserve Johns Island land

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) — Charleston County is considering a multi-million-dollar public investment that would shape Johns Island’s future.

The Lowcountry Land Trust is asking for $3,630,000 in Rural Greenbelt funds to buy about 97 acres at Humbert Woods just outside Charleston County’s urban growth boundary off Humbert and Branjess Road on Johns Island for passive public recreational access.

Public access and preservation

“We’re talking about trails, boardwalks, there’s a historical school site on the property and just lots of gorgeous Live Oak and Grand trees, and beautiful wetlands as well,” Eric Davis, director of housing and land management for Charleston County, said.

The project would protect most of one of the largest remaining undeveloped tracts on Johns Island, at almost 103 acres, split between two parcels. A nearly 6-acre portion would be for affordable housing.

“Two things that you hear about most in the public is affordable housing, but also preservation. And I think this is a potential where the county can do both,” John Rhoden, executive director of Sea Island Habitat for Humanity, said.

Sea Island Habitat for Humanity would manage the property as a nature preserve.

“This is a great opportunity specifically because this is why they came to us initially, we’re doing a brand new neighborhood right next-door,” Rhoden said.

Based on zoning for the area, Rhoden estimates between five and eight single-family houses could be built on the smaller portion.

Connecting trails

“This new idea would be kind of growth of our other neighborhood. We’re going to have sidewalks, we’ve left all the grand trees and we have a lot of nature both in our property as well as adjacent properties. I think that this idea would have trails that go from this parcel through our property to another Low Country Land Trust property,” Rhoden said.

The project would create connecting trails for accessible green space.

“John’s Island is growing, we all know that, and groups like Lowcountry Land Trust are hearing the residents and trying to secure additional green space that can help mitigate some of that growth,” Rhoden said.

Taxpayers fund the Greenbelt land preservation through the transportation sales tax.

“Through the Greenbelt program, we provide public green spaces for folks to recreate, keep water clean, help mitigate flooding, and just provide green space to make the county better,” Davis said.

The county’s finance committee is reviewing the request this week. After that, it may move to the full county council for approval. If approved, more than $3.6 million in Greenbelt funding would help protect one of the island’s largest remaining undeveloped tracts.